A judge loosens Canada’s euthanasia belt another notch or two

Something north of 8,000 people have died in Canada after its Medical Aid in Dying legislation came into effect in 2016. And now it will probably become easier after a decision by a Québec judge. This week Superior Court Justice Christine Baudouin struck down as unconstitutional a provision in the federal legislation which restricts euthanasia to terminally ill patients. The clause says that a patient’s natural death had to be “reasonably foreseeable". This meant that some patients who wanted to die had to face the prospect of seemingly endless pain. -- More...